Doing Good

August 21, 2025

From Pastor Joseph Wamack

This is a true story and happened to me once a few years ago:

I had to make a dreaded trip to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) recently. I don’t know anyone who wants to go to the DMV. I am not even sure the people who work there want to go there. But it is one of those things we all must do at least once. It’s a rite of passage, like getting a tattoo or paying taxes.

When I opened the door, I knew I was in for a bit of a wait when the first thing I saw, directly inside the door, was a “take a number” machine. My number was 499. I saw the “number being served” board saying the number being served was 468. I quickly did some math and thought, “that seems like an hour and a half wait.” So I settled in a seat, with a fully charged phone, and began the wait.

After about 20 minutes, a guy sat next to me and said, “What is your number?” I said “499”. He says, “Do you want this one?” It was 493. That moved me up 6 places! That could be 15-20 minutes or MORE! I said, “Well what about you? Are you leaving?” He said, “Another guy got frustrated and left, so he gave me his number (487) so now, I am giving you my number.”

I thought, “That’s not a bad deal! Yay for me and thanks for kind people.” Then another guy sat next to me, and I said, “What’s your number?” He held up 505. I said, “Do you want this one?” (My old number 499). He said “Sure!” Then a minute later, I saw him give his old number to the guy who sat down next to him. The good times just kept a rolling! The DMV was almost bearable that day.

Life can be better when we extend a hand to help those around us. Sometimes extending and helping doesn’t cost us much, maybe a kind word or a smile, or a piece of paper with a number on it. Other times, extending and helping costs a lot: time, money, risk, sweat, sleep, tears. Either way, we are called to extend and help, to be up-lifters, supporters, kind-word speakers, energizers, to extend the healing ministry of Christ.

Galatians 6:9 says, “So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessings if we don't give up.” “Doing good” can get tiring. But my encouragement is the same as this verse. Let’s not grow tired of doing good. It is the right thing to do. It has benefits to the person receiving the good and the person doing the good. It frees the heart from selfishness and expectation. It makes this world a better place. If we can find someone “doing good” even at the DMV, then it can happen anywhere! Let it happen with you and me today.